releases: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-applauds-federal-approval-of-484-million-maine-rural-broadband-grant-by-ntia
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins-applauds-federal-approval-of-484-million-maine-rural-broadband-grant-by-ntia | Senator Collins Applauds Federal Approval of $48.4 Million Maine Rural Broadband Grant by NTIA | 2025-11-18 | 2025 | 2025-11 | Republican | House | GA | Mike Collins | C001129 | www.collins.senate.gov | collins | https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases | scraper | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins applauded the announcement that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Maine’s plan to move forward with $48.4 million to extend high-speed internet service to 21,880 homes and businesses across the state. Senator Collins co-authored the broadband section of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and worked closely with the Secretary of Commerce to negotiate the provisions. The IIJA includes $65 billion to expand access to broadband in communities nationwide. The largest broadband program in the infrastructure bill is the BEAD Program, which provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access across the country. The State of Maine will receive $272 million of these funds. Today’s funding comes from the BEAD program. “Access to high-speed Internet is critical to the economy of rural communities, which is why I have long championed expanding access to broadband across Maine,” said Senator Collins. “From spurring job creation to supporting telemedicine and education, the Internet unlocks almost endless opportunities. I co-authored the broadband section of the IIJA to help bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas, and I am pleased that this funding will help our state make historic investments to extend its high-speed network to ensure that thousands of additional Mainers have a reliable connection to their loved ones, co-workers, schools, and medical services.” Maine’s proposal is among the first in the country to receive NTIA approval. Following NTIA’s 2025 restructuring of the Program, the “Benefit of the Bargain” application round produced requests totaling $48.4 million in federal funds paired with $109 million in private investment, resulting in Maine having one of the lowest average costs per location nationwide. Projects approved through the BEAD proposal include Maine-based and national providers using a range of technologies, such as fiber, hybrid fiber-coax, and low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite service. Senator Collins continues to work with the Maine Connectivity Authority, Maine’s internet service providers, the NTIA, and state and local leaders to ensure full implementation of the BEAD Program and to advance the state’s long-term broadband goals. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T01:40:41Z | 2026-04-06T19:52:45Z |